Modification of Cotton2K model for simulating cotton growth and yield under various deficit irrigation strategies

AbstractLight interception plays an important role in cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) production, there are few researches on the cotton’s light interception response on irrigation strategy on semi-arid region. Cotton2K is a simulation model for cotton growth developed by Marani (2004), successor of CALGOS (CALifornia GOSsym) (Marani et al.,1992) which derived from GOSSYM. The modified Cotton2K model reimplemented photosynthesis sub procedures compared with the original one, calibrated using field experiments data during the two cotton growing seasons of 2019 and 2020.The normalized root mean squared error (NRMSE) in above ground biomass over the irrigation treatments was 17.44%, showing high simulation accuracy.